


don't let me catch you back here

by nerdlordholocron



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: (and permanent- one of each), 2.30 spoilers, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Temporary Character Death, author continues to cope through fanfiction, but only briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 17:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15645642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlordholocron/pseuds/nerdlordholocron
Summary: Jester takes an arrow too many, and gets to see Molly again before she wakes up.I am Coping and Predictable but oh well. More hugs for the both of them, that's what I'm after.





	don't let me catch you back here

**Author's Note:**

> I continue to churn out Coping Fic at a rate higher than any other fandom has caused me to, so here goes another one. I’m real sad, guys.
> 
> That said I would like to try some more planned-out work for Critrole, even if it’s just a more collected series of oneshots— maybe something with the Dodecahedron, a set of whatifs. (Some of them will be Molly Lives AUs, not all.) I got a two week break from work coming up, so we’ll see what all I can get done.
> 
> Thanks for reading, folks.

Jester only just sees the arrow coming. It's too late, her reflexes dulled by pain and blood loss, and then she's knocked backward and all she sees is sky. Gosh, the others said it was cold, and she doesn't usually agree with them on that, but she kind of has to right now. The sky above her goes to white. She wonders if it's going to snow.

A riot of color walks into her field of view, and crouches down beside her. Jester's fatigue fades, and she instantly knows who it is.

"Molly," she says as she sits up and immediately buries her face in his shoulder. "I guess I am dead? Only I thought dead people had to move on, and you're still here."

"You know me," Molly says lightly. His lean arms hold Jester tight. "Never been one for doing what people think I'm supposed to." A pendant on her horn swings and bonks into his cheek, and he grins. It's a little star, not one he's seen before. "I like the new look."

"Thanks," Jester mumbles into his shoulder. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, dear." Molly draws back and looks Jester over, helps her to her feet. "Are you going to stay? The others are starting to call for you. You can go back if you want."

Jester sniffles. "I will go back. Caduceus is really good but they need me to save their asses all the time still. And I don't want them to miss me yet." She chokes on a sob and throws her arms around Molly again. "I'm so sorry I could not save you or bring you back. I'm trying to get stronger but it is taking so long--"

Molly gives her a squeeze and cuts her off. "Shh, Jester, no, it's not your fault. I did what I had to. You're gonna keep the others safe and you're gonna do great, all right?" He pats her cheek. "Don't let me catch you back here again until you've had a good long run of it, now. Tell that to Beau, too, she's not allowed to get herself killed."

"You are such a hypocrite, Molly," Jester grouses. She doesn't want to be dead, but she doesn't want to let go. 

He shrugs despite her tight grip on him. "Yes, well." Molly gives her one more hug, then gently pushes her away; she finally lets him. "Off you go, now, before your friend loses the spell. Thank him for the flowers, would you? They've been blooming all winter and confusing the shit out of everyone, it's fantastic."

Everything's going white for Jester again, and the tears on her cheeks are starting to sting in the cold, but she still feels the kiss on her cheek, and still hears the unfamiliar voice, still nearer than the din of the ending battle: "You going to demand to do my job for me every time one of these guys turn up?"

And Molly's voice, grinning, satisfied: "Pretty much, yeah."

And then Jester's back, blood in her mouth, frozen ground under her, Caduceus’ spindly frame blocking out part of the sky. Oh, fuck, everything hurts. She tries to sit up, and succeeds only in flopping over into Caduceus’ bony lap. “Whoa, there,” he says quietly. “You cut it pretty close there. Take it easy.” He begins to trace the shape of a spell over Jester, and she feels the healing magic begin to take root.

“He said to tell you the flowers were really good,” Jester mumbles.

“Huh.” Caduceus finishes the spell with a small smile. “Well, I’m glad.”

**Author's Note:**

> I repeat my request for some really damn good flowers where Caduceus used that spell.


End file.
